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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Did your opinion of schools do a complete u-turn after visiting?

23 replies

Posey · 10/10/2007 14:36

We are in the process of choosing a secondary school for dd.

Yesterday we visited what we assumed would be our 1st choice, and today visited another one "because it is local"

Have had such a change of heart, what we thought was a positive point to school 1 now is a negative and vice versa for school 2.

My head is spinning.

Anyone else completely changed their opinion after visiting schools?

OP posts:

indignatio · 10/10/2007 14:37

I did re a primary school

UnquietDad · 10/10/2007 14:39

Not personally, but I know people who have.

Just shows how important it is to visit and not just go on the league tables.

Hulababy · 10/10/2007 14:39

Yes, when visiting local catchment primary for DD. Had moved into area of school with good OFSTED, good reputatioon, etc. having decided to do that rather than private education. Visited the school and both DH and I really didn't like it. It seemed over crwoded, chaotic at times and the Head just seemed - well, a bit wet really. She definitely didn't give off a good impression on the visit. DD went private instead.

Hallgerda · 10/10/2007 14:41

Yes. The one I thought would be the utter dream school in all respects but distance, DS1 and I both loathed to the point that, if I'd ever been a smoker, I'd have lit up behind the bike sheds (As it was, we constrained ourselves to sniggering about the statues in the grounds).

bananaknickers · 10/10/2007 14:42

yes they did.I asked myself that I first had to choose a school that had what I wanted - A good Special needs and support.
My first choice is the one we choose in the end because it was close to home, had friendly and approachable staff. It's grades where not as good as the other, but are getting loads better each year. When I walked in it just felt right in my heart and ds loved it too.

Open nights don't tell you much as they all put on shows. Go to the schools when the pupils are there so you can see the school for real

frogs · 10/10/2007 14:43

Yes, re a secondary school, and on the second visit. Having visited one v. selective school when dd1 was in Y5, we revisited again in Y6 and found it had a completely different feeling. We decided against it in favour of the scruffier, less high-profile school with the less good facilities.

Never looked back.

frogs · 10/10/2007 14:44

Which schools are we talking about? If you give initials, I can ask around for inside info if you like.

OrmIrian · 10/10/2007 14:45

Not exactly. The school we eventually chose for DS#1 was the one I was favouring in the first place, but I had some concerns and was seriously thinking that we'd have to choose the local school with the best grades that was the more logical choice. The concerns were totally removed when we visited.

bossykate · 10/10/2007 14:45

ooh hallgerda, which one was that?

bananaknickers · 10/10/2007 14:46

I hated the schools where the head was dressed to the nines and stood at the front telling you how good the school was result, results and more result. The school we choose was honest. The children and teachers where happy. She even talked about bullying at that yes it happens at the school and they deal with it. My son loves it.

cat64 · 10/10/2007 14:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster

Posey · 10/10/2007 14:48

It really, for us, is a lot to do with gut feeling (it worked for primary).
Yesterday, I could just see dd was uninspired, flat really.

Today she seemed alive, excited by what she was seeing.

First school, new building, glossy, friends probably going there.

2nd school, older, a little worn, but a lovely feeling.

No contest.

We should be close enough to both.

OP posts:

bananaknickers · 10/10/2007 14:51

Schools are like looking for houses aren't they. If it ticks the boxes and you get the warm feeling, your mind is made up.

frogs · 10/10/2007 14:56

Is the older one with the good feeling HFS, Posey? If so, I continue to hear only good things about it, from people with very different girls, all the way from superbright to learning difficulties.

V. v. good things about the pastoral care specifically, and about the structures the school has for incentivising and motivating.

seeker · 10/10/2007 14:57

We did. Went to visit local school - liked it, then just for balance went to visit one in the next town that I expected to hate - apart from anything else it's single sex, which I have always been opposed to, and it goes on about its heaps of homework which I have also always been opposed to. We all loved it. Dd loved it most of all. She is now in her first term at it and still loves it,dispite the homework, the journey, the cross country runs......

Hallgerda · 10/10/2007 15:02

bossykate, I'd rather not actually name the school, but it's a boys' grammar in LB Bromley .

bossykate · 10/10/2007 15:03

thank you!

colditz · 10/10/2007 15:10

My local primary was the one place I didn't want Ds1 to go. But I went to have a look, after being nagged into it by several people.

And I was shown around, just my 4 year old and I, by the very first teacher I ever had. And not one word was mentioned about SATS, bar "Well, I think they're more for the teachers really. We don't do very well on them to be honest, because we are in a very deprived area" (true)

And ds1 was beautifully jollied by the reception teacher, who exclaimed delightedly to him "Oh are you sorting those animals into colours? Aren't you clever?" and totally ignored me.

And I was shown the chill out room, an entire classroom dedicated to "Those children for whom school gets a bit too much sometimes. They like to come and listen to the radio", which looked like someone's living room, but with sand, and tents, and cushions.

And I was sold.

shinyshoes · 10/10/2007 19:45

We had our first choice chosen in our minds about 18 months ago, we went to view it about 2 weeks ago as more of a formality really, well, its now not even going on the list and I was absolutely certain he'd be going there. We have 3 secondary schools in our catchment 2 of them are scraping to even get any satisfactory Ofsted results. He will be going to the 3rd school in the catchment. (hopefully) It goes to show, visiting the schools is a must.

CarGirl · 10/10/2007 19:53

yes went to visit the worst performing school in Surrey (our local) and am now not worried that dd will probably end up there. Before I went I was traumatised about the possibility of her going there.

Original poster

Posey · 10/10/2007 21:36

Great to hear all these positive stories!

Frogs, yes it is HFS. A couple of years ago we would have been too far away but now that the new school is completed they have been able to increase their catchment area.
Have heard lots of good/great testimonies from a wide variety of folk. As you say, there are alsorts of kids there from alsorts of backgrounds. I think its just what we never knew we were looking for

OP posts:

ElenyaTuesday · 11/10/2007 14:46

Hallgerda, I know the one you mean!!! Ds1 and I both absolutely hated it as well!

twinsetandpearls · 11/10/2007 20:16

The school I teach in has quite a bad reputation but the reality is somewhat different. I find that if we can get parents through the dooe they often change their mind.

I did an open day at the weekend and was dead set against boarding but am melting after visiting the school , a consideration when dd is much older.

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